The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-04-02
SNOW.SHOE TRAMPlNG.
A Healthy Sort of Exercise for Persons Wht
Are Not in u Hurry.

| .
SNOW-SHOE TRAMPING.
| A Healthy Sort of Exercise for Persons Who
Are Not in u Hurry.
| The snow-shoe has come to stay. /
have pair of them in my closet now
that will stay there until get chance
to sell them. They cost me four dol
lars and fifty cents, and am in receipt
of Just about twenty cents worth of
fun from them in three seasons. To
be sure, that isn't the snow-shoes'
fault. Last year we had six inches of
snow, and the year before we didn't
have any-to speak of. Next year, /
think, we shall have some along in
March-perhaps enough to start the
maple sap running.
took my first tramp on snow-shoes
when there were six inches of snow on
the ground. That was last winter. l
tramped down to the end of the garden,
and was transported with delight. /
had no idea snow-shoeing was so easy.
Before started back, being somewhat
out Of breath and u little lame in the
calves, took off the snowshoes and
carried them on my shoulder. If was
delighted at first, Twas enraptured then.
| never realized before how easy walk
ing was.
have experimental somewhat with
snow-shoes, and find tina: the best places
to use them are on the solid ice, and in
the middle of the road. once belonged
to our town snow-shoe club. When the
boys used to start out for a tramp, they
always walked in the hollow beside the
road, rather than climb fences. One
moonlight night noticed it was pretty
smooth and nice up in the road, so 1 got
, up there. Twas surprised to find what
an improvement it was, and called all
, ! the fellows up. We walked for quite a
! distance there. and finally, took my
Q snow-shoes off, and discovered that it
r was great relief. l walked along
comfortably in my moccasins, and got
!, about two miles ahead of the club.
Then sat down to wait When the
Q boys came up, they challenged me to a
r race across the fields home. l said
= 'All right. Wait until l leave my
9 snow-shoes in this barn" I then got
" over the fence and ran through the
s snow, reaching home about an hour
8 and-a-quarter ahead of the club. The
$ next day l said: "Boys, must resign,
:. unless you will let me join your tramps
!. without the formality of snow-shoes.
: They wouldn't do it; so resigned.
C l have seen some races on snow-shoes,
u but l never saw any such contest on the
actual, unbeaten snow. They always
!. take place on the ice, or on hard
o track. have often wondered why il
i would not do just as we'll to tie half
pound weight to each mans foot, OF
else call it an obstruction race to begin
y with?
like to see a man with a pair o.
l. snow-shoes on, getting over fence
He approaches it as one would q long
! lost friend, with arms outstretched anC
q face wreathed in smiles. He grasps the
" top board or rail, as the case may be
and elevatcs one of his beautiful Chi
= cago flats to the second board or raj
a. from the bottom. Then he tucks hi.
a snow-shoe rs far in rs he can, pull:
himself laboriously up and inserts c
I flat number two. Now comes the tug
II of-war-the grand pas de fascination
% He is to get c. flat number one over thu
r, top of the fence. He nerves himself
sidles along Il little, disengages fla
W number one. turns the toe in, Indiar
70 ! fashion. executes II grand upward
=. "a flourish. misses his aim! The unwieldy
n snow-shoe comes back with rush
A. snatches the man from the fence, catches
10 its tail in the snow, involves man, Chi
U, cagos number two snow-bank, portions
- of fence, red mittens and several othe
,r things in grand melee of confusion
n, and finally becomes the only prominen
'r feature of the landscape, sticking VI
pathetically out of the snow. BY an(
~ by hand comes up, u red mitten comes
I off, there is Il frantic struggle with the
fastenngs of the snow-shoe, and at las
!" it drops off, and the victim rises from
=. his snowy couch, very red in the face
- very white in the garments. and YER,
X blue in the surrounding atmosphere
/ He then takes off the other snow-shoe
10 luN ClltlDS oNCI phC AcuSC III " NNiiiACs
ID manner. This is u beautiful and YER,
y effective scene, when properly carries
n. out.
m But tho snow-shoe is doubtless O
III practical value on experienced feet
ae Some men get SO that they can wal
~ three or four miles n day with these i'm
q plements, and l once saw u hunter re
= turning from the woods, with no ev
IN dences on his person of having falle
down, and carrying three rabbits in hi
G. G. left hand. approached to got neare
a. q, view of this prodigy, and discove 'e
u. that he had large tin-pan fastened
go each foot.-PduE Pastnor, in Puck.
I'D
"A Western farmer advises string
I'd ing seed corn by tying the ears togetht
~ with husks in some place where til